The Beginning of the End
by DreamerOnDrugs
Summary: The rangers of Ascalon once lived in Regent Valley, a place of both great beauty and great importance to Ascalonians. It was there where I lived, until the day of the invasion. My name is Rowenna Trueshot, daughter of Ivor Trueshot and this is my story.
1. Prologue

**Author's notes: **My first Guild Wars fanfiction. I am so proud, Let me know what you think about it ;)

**Disclaimer: **Nope, I don't own Guild Wars

**Prologue**

Once, Ascalon was a beautiful, fertile land of rolling green countryside and magnificent cities. Her people were viewed as grim by their neighbors. This was perhaps, to be expected, given their never-ending war against the aggressive Charr. Indeed, it was their unfailing vigilance, their Great Northern Wall, and the blood they shed each year to defend it that had protected not only Ascalon, but also Kryta and Orr through the ages.

Then came the invasion, and with it, the Searing.

Anyone alive today will remember the day the lands of Ascalon were blasted and torn with magic fire. Whole cities and guilds were destroyed in the Searing, and the might of Ascalon was shattered. Now the Great Northern Wall lies broken, and the Charr have overrun much of the kingdom, defiling it with their unholy shrines, killing those who stand in their way.

The rangers of Ascalon once lived in Regent Valley, before the Searing it was a lush forest area. It was there where King Doric was crowned at King's Watch, and was a place of both great beauty and great importance to Ascalonians. It was there where my father and his best friend, Master Ranger Nente trained me and the other rangers. It was there where I tamed my first pet. It was there where I became one of the greatest rangers, Ascalon had seen in a long time. It was there where I lived, until the day of the invasion. My name is Rowenna Trueshot, daughter of Ivor Trueshot and this is my story.

OOO

When I was seven my father started to train me "The early bird catches the worms" he always said. I can still remember the day that we left the village, the first day of my training. It was the day after my seventh birthday, he had asked me if I wanted to become a ranger like him and Nente. I said yes, I have never regretted it.

We left early that day, the only things we brought with us were my father's bow, quiver and arrows, food for a day, a few hunting knifes and the clothes we were wearing. My father gave our house away to the needy. When I asked why he told me we didn't need it anymore. Most children would be afraid if they have to leave everything behind in just one morning, but I was not and still not am like most children. I don't remember much about my time in the village, only that I had felt terrible locked up in the time I was there. I think that is because of my father's blood.

We traveled the whole day through the forest. I had never been outside the village before, and I can't remember a time when I was more happy than back then. I was finally free, and I knew my father felt the same way. He had been locked up in the village too in order to take care of me. My mother had took off two years after my birth, I can't remember her but my father often tells me that I look a lot like her.

When the sun was setting we arrived at a large meadow. A large fig tree grew in the middle of the cleared ground surrounded by eleven other, smaller fig trees. Each tree had one or two tree houses in it, the houses were connected to each other by suspension bridges and ropes.

"The biggest tree contains the house of Master Ranger Nente" Father had told me. On the ground there were a over a dozen wooden huts, when he saw me looking at them he explained "That's where the apprentices live. Every ranger and every apprentice gets his or hers own house."

"Do I have to live on my own?" I had asked.

"No sweetie, not yet." Father had smiled while he picked me up "We are going to live up there." I can still remember him pointing towards the second-biggest house, high in the second-biggest tree.

The first couple of years in the ranger camp I couldn't carry a bow yet. So Nente trained me as a beastmaster while Will of the Fens trained me in wilderness survival, he was technically still an apprentice and only a few years older than me but already an expert in this area. Apart from that I was mostly trained in tracking and how to move around without disturbing the animals and nature around me.

When I turned ten I became a full apprentice. I moved to one of the huts in the neighborhood of my father's tree house. He began to train me, together with the other apprentices, in archery. Surprisingly I appeared to have a natural talent of it. Much to the despise of my fellow apprentices who were already training years with my father and still didn't managed to shoot as good as I did with my first few attempts.

I was also the youngest apprentice at that time. Most started their training when they turned twelve, others when they turned fifteen and some where even older than that, but those chose ranger as their second profession and were not allowed to enter or go search for the ranger camp. The camp was for rangers, and rangers only. Even the king did not know the exact location.

I have trained for many years, until the day that I'm finally old enough to end my apprenticeship. Today it's my seventeenth birthday, I've already become an expert in all areas of my rangership many years ago. Some say that once I become a true ranger I would be one of the best since Nente himself, before he became a master, even though I'm not even half his age.

OOO

I was just making new arrows when I heard someone entering my hut. Even without looking up from my work I knew it was father. "Master Ivor" I said when I quickly stood up, he had thought me to never call him father while we were in camp. "What brings you here?"

He smiled "Can't a father congratulate his daughter on her birthday?" He asked while spreading his arms. Without hesitation I gave him a hug. "Thanks dad" I mumbled. Moments like this were the only times he could actually show the love for his daughter. Normally it was always Master Ivor Trueshot and Apprentice Rowenna. Some people in camp didn't even knew he was my father.

"I brought you a gift." He said while taking a few steps back, in order to hand me a large package wrapped in some sort of light leather.

I shook my head disapprovingly "I thought you'd said no gifts?" I teased while taking the gift from him, it was kind of heavy.

He raised an eyebrow at me "You don't want it? Then give it back."

"No" I answered while sticking out my tongue, he laughed. I shoved the half-finished arrows from the small table in the center of the hut and placed the package on it.

Ivor shook his head "It's armor not a table flower." I saw a teasing smile playing on his lips "Armor means that you have to wear it. Now change, quickly, it's a big day."

"How so?" I asked but when he refused to say anything, I decided to do what he'd said and change. When I disappeared behind the door to the small bedroom I quickly unwrapped the package.

I quickly took off the armor I was currently wearing in order to be able to put on the armor father had gave me. It consisted a green legging, knee-high leather boots, a green top with leather straps on the right side which were attached to a leather shoulder pad, _Fortunately there is only one shoulder pad. _I thought._ Another one would give me a great discomfort if I wanted to keep holding my bow in my left hand_. I also found a new quiver, some new arrows and a belt with two dagger sheaths, one for each hip. The last thing that I found inside the package was a thick green leather glove for my left arm, with cut off fingers. The glove reached till my upper arm and was kept in place by an piece of brown leather. On my right wrist I placed the leather bracelets I always wore and on my right upper arm I placed the rest of the leather bracelets.

When I looked in the mirror I was pretty happy with the results. The armor was tight-fitting so it wouldn't bother me while hunting, the forest green color of the armor was exact the same color everywhere just like the brown of the leather. It was almost like the armor was made especially for me. On second thoughts, it was probably made especially for me. I´ve never seen another ranger in this armor and it fits perfectly. When I noticed the low cut in the top I decided to wear my mother´s golden necklace. It was the only thing that I still had from her and I was glad when my father gave it to me a few summers ago.

Finally completely content with the results I grabbed my bow and went back to the living room where Ivor was still waiting for me. When he heard me entering the room again he turned around. "And?" I asked. "How do I look?"

"Well, better late than never." He said with a sigh, but he couldn't hide his smile.

Even though I looked a lot like my mother (except that I have the same forest green eyes and ruby red hair as Ivor) I acted more like my father. "Someone once told me: Patience is a virtue." I said while mirroring his smile and the tone of his voice.

"That sounds like a wise person to me." Ivor noted with a smile before he turned serious. "Master Ranger Nente wants to see you. You can find him in the neighborhood of Melandru's shrine."

I nodded and walked towards the door, before I left I felt a hand on my shoulder "Good luck, Rowenna." I smiled to my father one last time before I exited my hut and went to the shrine.

"Rowenna wait up!" I looked over my shoulder. From the direction of the camp I saw Will and his moss spider running towards me. "Ranger Will," I greeted "What's wrong?"

"Haven't I told you that you do not have to call me by my title?" He smiled at me, Will had become a full ranger two summers ago, when he had turned eighteen.

"Oh, right I am sorry. What's wrong, Will?"

"Ivor told me you were on your way to see my father." I tilted my head at him "So..?"

"He told me to accompany you. There is a lot of charr activity in the forest lately, because of this apprentices and even rangers are not allowed to travel alone."

"So you've come to babysit me?" I asked with a amused voice.

Will let out a sigh "It was babysitting or risking an arrow through my head from your father... I think I made the right choice." He added with a smile.

"Well let's go then! I want to see what Nante wants from me."

"Yes ma'am." Will answered, still smiling.

We arrived at Master Ranger Nente's group without much trouble. He saw his son and me arriving he smiled and waved us over. When I asked him why he had summoned me he answered, "One of the great joys in a Ranger's life is earning the trust of an animal companion. If you are able to charm an animal you would become a true Ranger. However, it would not be fitting, so close to a shrine of Melandru, to charm just any creature. Along the path here you will find the shrine. Nearby you may find one of the rare cats known by the name Melandru's Stalker. If you can charm one of these animals, you will truly have Melandru's blessing."

I smiled. This I wasn't expecting. When Will had become a true Ranger at the age of eighteen he was already one of the youngest rangers in history, I was even a year younger than he was back then, "I am willing." I said.

"Good, you have to do this test on your own. Will, you have to stay here and accompany her back to the camp when she has managed to tame her first pet." Will nodded and I began the quest that, once I had finished it, would end my apprenticeship.

OOO

"You have done very well; it's not easy to charm one of these great cats. The gods are smiling on you." I smiled while petting my new Melandru's Stalker, Arrow on her head. Nente looked at me approvingly "And now, are you ready to put your apprenticeship behind you and become a true Ranger?"

I bowed my head "I am." Nente, Ivor and I were sitting in the middle of an clearing, a few miles away from camp. Ivor took my right hand in his and began applying the tattoo representing the Ascalonian Rangers, a graceful green wing. Underneath the wing -the place where my leather bracelets used to be- he applied a maple leaf with an arrow on it and made a flourish of curls and circles around it. While he was doing this Nente recited the Scriptures of Melandru: 48 BE.

"And it was that a tribe of godless humans wandered the land. Where camped did they lay waste, senselessly destroying everything nearby. And so the tribe set out to find another camp, when suddenly sprouted a wall of thorny branches, which blocked their exit. Then saith Ewan, leader of the tribe, "Know ye our ways. Whosoever does magic in this tribe shall be put to death." Yet none comes forward. Then, from the earth grows forth a large tree, and unfurling its branches, reveals the upper torso of a woman. Saith She, "I am Melandru, the Mother of earth and nature. Henceforth I bind ye to these lands. When they suffer, so shall ye suffer." And as She saith, so was it done. From their limbs sprouted branches, and the blood in their veins was the sap of trees. Then was Ewan and his tribe converted, and became they stewards of nature." Nente took a deep breath "This land is blessed by Melandru and kept by the Rangers. From this day forth you shall be known as Rowenna Trueshot, daughter of Ivor Trueshot and proud member of the Ascalonian Rangers."

"The green wing is the sign of the Ascalonian Rangers, wear it proudly." Ivor said. "The leaf and arrow are the signs of a Trueshot. Cover it with the leather bracelets, so no one can abuse our name. But never forget that you are a Ranger just like you are a Trueshot."

"Thank you both, I shall honor the Rangers as well as the name I bear from now on. Melandru's blessing be upon you."

"And upon you, child."


	2. The Ascalonian Vanguard

**Author's notes: **I'm asking myself at the moment if anybody is actually reading this story..? xD Except for the bloody vampire then, thanks for all you reviews anyway ^^ I have to thank you here since you don't have a fanfiction account as far as I know... -,-' Anyway, If you're reading this story...could you please leave a review or something to let know that you're reading this? Or what you're thinking about it? It would be great to know if I'm actually writing _for_ someone. Or else I could just stop posting this story and keep it on my computer for my friends to read xD

**Disclaimer: **Nope, I don't own Guild Wars

**The Ascalon Vanguard**

Soon after my inauguration I was assigned to help my father train the new apprentices in the art of archery. It wasn't a fancy job, but I was content with it. Soon I would have my own apprentices and I needed to be ready to teach the way of the rangers on my own. At least that was what I thought that I was supposed to do. But I quickly found out that Melandru had other plans for me.

Friday had always been a day of rest to the Rangers. It was a day where none of the apprentices had to work and was closed with a large supper in the center of the clearing. A festive all rangers and apprentices looked forward to after a week of hard work.

Master Ranger Nente just finished his opening speech (that mainly consisted of bon appétit) when Reyna Sandor, an ex-ranger and messenger from the king entered the camp. "I bring news from the king." She said without any proper introduction.

Nente sighed "Renya, please join us for supper. We all know what a patient man the king is, surely he can wait a bit longer." I chuckled, just like the majority of the rangers and apprentices. It was true, we rangers were not really on high feet with the current king. He never respected our ways, why should we respect his?

Renya on the other hand thought highly of the king "I'm afraid this can't wait, Master Ranger Nente." She adjusted the scimitar on her side and pulled a scroll out of her belt pouch. "The Charr-" She started when Nente quickly putted a hand up in the air to silence her.

"I'm getting to old for this..." He muttered before turning to the apprentices on the other end of the large table "Everyone under the age of fifteen summers is excused to his or her hut." Without any protests six apprentices stood up and walked back to their own little houses.

"Now that we've taken care of that..." Nente turned back to the messenger "What does the king want from us this time?" A twinkle appeared in his eyes as he suggested "A new pair of leather gloves perhaps?"

Renya ignored him and started reading the report "The Charr are relentless, every day we lose more of our own in the battle for the Wall. We need to new recruits for the Vanguard. Bring me the strongest, the smartest, the bravest in all of Ascalon. Find me the heroes who will lead our kingdom to glory."

She paused, a silence that made Ivor roll his eyes "Yeah, _that_ was the formal part, now what does he want from _us_?"

The messenger looked up from the document "At least ten of your best rangers or most promising apprentices."

"The king can't command us to obey such request!" One of the older rangers yelled back, standing up so quickly that his chair tipped over and crashed to the ground.

Nente looked at him "Sit down, Afal. You _are_ talking about the king, it is his eternal duty to be bossing us around."

"What will happen when we don't listen to his request?" One of the younger apprentices asked.

I scoffed which made the others, including the apprentice look at me "He hangs us all for treason" I said simply "that's what would happen."

The apprentice shook his head "Not much of a request then."

"I will be back tomorrow at dawn." Renya announced "The ones you've selected will be joining me then, together we will return to Ascalon Academy." She didn't even bother to look back at the camp when she left. Everyone knew that Renya detested the Rangers, even though she had been one herself. When she had joined the King's army and had chosen her second profession, the royal seal was painted over the green ranger wing. Making her no longer one of us, but a warrior of the king.

oOo

"I'm blaming the king for the strands of grey that are beginning to creep into my hair." Nente concluded while rubbing his forehead.

Ivor chuckled "Ah, but my friend you are getting older these days... We can't blame the king for everything."

"Meow!"

Smiling down at the albino cat, I absently petted her on her head "Hush, Arrow. I can't hear what they are saying." I whispered before standing on my tip-toes again and grabbing the wooden window frame to keep my balance.

A few feet behind me, I heard someone tapping a foot on the wooden plateau "Spying Rowenna?" A teasing voice mused "You disappoint me."

"And you are here to...?" I asked with the same teasing voice as I turned around and tilted my head at Will.

"Spy of course!" He said with a smile "It's tradition to listen in on the conversations of the elder Rangers." I grinned at him and moved a bit to the side so he was able to look through the window-glass as well.

"...haven't finished their training, they will be slaughtered!"

Afal slowly nodded his head "You're right, we can't send them."

"How about Will?" Damon asked "He is quite talented."

Nante narrowed his eyes "I prefer not to send my only son into this war."

"Well we have to send someone!" A ranger with dark grey hair and a short beard exclaimed. "It's up to the younger generation now, we can't throw ourselves at it this time!"

An agreeing mumble went through the group "...But he asked for the best." Gavan said.

Ivor shook his head "The best _or_ the most talented apprentices, why don't we send our eldest? They are all quite promising. We we're planning to initiate them anyway and it could be a good training for them."

"Maybe you're right..." Nente said "But there are just fourteen apprentices, and if we only send the ones with enough skill we're still four short."

"So we already have six places filled then, that's something..."

Afal frowned his bushy brows "Not enough. Let Fane and Sylvia join them too, they have trained enough young rangers to guide them further. Both are no older than twenty-five summers so the king can't blame us for sending leftovers."

"I still think that Wil should join them too..." Damon tried carefully as Nente buried his head in his hands. "...He is one of the best on Wilderness survival and we can't afford losing the wall his talents can become..."

"Send Will as well." Nente said shortly.

The man in question tensed up next to me, I could feel it "Are you alright?" I whispered to him.

He gave me a weak smile in return "My father is sends me into war, great..." We startled when we suddenly heard someone raising his voice.

"SHE IS TOO YOUNG!"

"THEY ASKED FOR THE BEST, IVOR!" Gavon yelled while he smashed his hands upon the table.

Ivor shot up from his chair "I DON'T CARE IF SHE IS THE BEST!" he yelled at the other ranger "SHE IS NOT GOING!"

When Nante stood up as well the other rangers quickly followed this example. "This is not open for discussion, Ivor." He said calmly "Rowenna is going as well." With those words he left the tree house, the others on his heels. When the last ranger closed the door behind him my father let out a frustrated growl as he smashed an empty bowl off the table and into the nearest wall.

I turned around until I felt the wooden wall against back, slowly slid down until I rested on the ground and closed my eyes. "Fate has a twisted sense of humor..."

oOo

Ivor closed the door to my tree house behind us. "I'm sorry, I never wanted this for you." He mumbled for what felt like the hundredth time today.

"It okay, father. I know you did your best to keep me out of it." This time I actually managed a smile. "Back before you know it." I said with a wink before pressing a kiss on his cheek, we both knew that it wasn't true but neither of us dared to mention it.

"ROWENNA TRUESHOT, WILL OFF THE FENS AND SYLVIA GREY-FOOT! GET DOWN HERE, NOW!" Renya screeched, apparently she was not a very patient woman... surprise, surprise.

"Well, duty calls" I sighed before walking towards the rope that gained me access from out my tree to the ground "Do you keep my house clean until I get back?" I asked over my shoulder.

He chuckled "Of course sweetie."

When I was back on the ground I whistled a two times and waited until Arrow caught up with me. It didn't took her long to climb out of the tree and join me. Together we walked to Renya who had crossed her arms in front of her and was impatiently tapping her foot on the ground. "What is _that_?" she asked, a disdainful tone in her voice.

"_This _is Arrow, my Melandru's Stalker."

She raised her eyebrows "Last time I checked those beasties weren't white with dark-red eyes."

Arrow growled at her and bared her teeth "She is an albino, only one I've ever seen." I said, a cheerful smile on my face. "And she is very sensitive..." Instead of thinking of an response the messenger chose to sniff and turn her head towards Sylvia and Will who just came down from their trees as well.

Renya's face fell even further when she saw a black raven sitting peacefully on Sylvia's head and that Will was followed by a light-green moss spider. "Is this the whole zoo?" Renya asked sarcastically.

"That depends" Sylvia answered cheerfully while stroking the raven's feathers "Is Fane already here?" She looked around but she only saw the four of them and the six apprentices "That's weird... He should be here by now with the others..."

Renya's eyes went wide "Other_s_? As in more than one?"

"Of course" I replied innocently "Every ranger is allowed to have two pets-"

"Oh! There is Fane!" Sylvia exclaimed while clasping her hands together in excitement "I haven't seen Jill in ages!"

The black-haired man waved at them, a huge grin was visible on his face. "Then I suppose that you two need some time alone?" Fane teased when the pink flamingo rushed away from behind him and stormed towards Sylvia, knocking her over in the process. While Will helped Sylvia back on her feet Fane studied the rest of the group, his eyes paused at the messenger. "Renya!" He said with a smile "Still afraid of animals?"

"No I am-"

"Good to hear!" He exclaimed before she was even able to finish her sentence "Then I guess I'll have to introduce you to them!"

Her eyes grew wide as he guided her towards the animals "Fane I don't think-"

"Of course you don't! Now, here we have Alan and Tika." He pointed towards a crocodile and the dune lizard who had climbed on his shoulder "You want to pet Alan?" Fane asked "I assure you that he doesn't bite...much."

I laughed at the look of complete distress in Renya's eyes when she quickly tried to get away from the crocodile "No—no. I'm fine, just keep that beast away from me!"

"Alas" He said faking disappointment before he turned back to his overjoyed self "but you still haven't seen the other animals!"

Sylvia laughed as she joined the game "Ah, yes this is Jill" she said while putting a hand on the flamingo's back "And that is Kira" She continued as the Raven landed on top of Renya's head.

The messenger was paralyzed with fear "P-Please get that..._thing_...off my head!"

Fane shook his head disapprovingly "That's not nice, my dear sister. Let my friends introduce their animal companions in peace and without interruptions. You know how we rangers are attached to our animals..."

"F-Fine!" She stuttered, still not taking her eyes away from the bird on her head "Who is n-next?"

"I suppose that's me" Will said while taking a step forward "Well since you already saw Ail before... I only have to introduce you to Orion." He said while pointing to the black bear behind him.

Renya swallowed hardly but didn't dare to comment. Finally the raven flew back to Sylvia and landed on her outstretched arm. "Oh!" Fane said "I almost forgot."

He picked up a small cage and handed it to me. When I looked into it I saw a small Boreal Owl sitting inside. She had chocolate brown feathers and a large head with bright yellow eyes. I smiled when I recognized the little animal as Luna, the owl my father had given me when I finished my apprenticeship.

"Why is she in a cage?" I asked while opening the cage. Luna gave a satisfied 'whoo-hoo' before flattering down on my shoulder pad and immediately falling asleep.

The black haired man gave me a surprised look "That evil creature bit me!"

"That 'evil creature' is 7 inches tall, how much damage could she possibly have done?"

Apparently Renya had found back her tongue Fane had not even enough time to reply to my question before she started shouting again "NEW RECRUITS! Enough daylight wasted! Let's go!"

"Nice sister you have, Fane." I noted before following the annoying messenger.

He shook his head before following too "Believe me when I say that, if I wasn't assigned to do this... I would have preferred not to see _her_ again."

"YOU THERE! Walk up straight! What did they learn you at that sick camp? Lift your feet! HIGHER! That's better! Do I even have to learn you guys how to walk?"

I rolled my eyes "Surprisingly, I think I know why."

oOo

Around noon we came close the exit of the forest. Renya told us (well, more yelled at us) that 'once we were past that damned exit we would leave this bloody forest and arrive at the Lakeside country' but when we finally got there I was not the only one who hesitated to leave the familiar environment of Regent Valley.

I felt someone placing a hand on my shoulder "Never left the Valley before?" Will asked me on a friendly tone. When I nodded in response he smiled at me "Believe me, it's not _that_ bad outside. You'll survive."

"You're probably right." I smiled "But if you're wrong and it does kill me, I'll never talk to you again."

He grinned at me "That seems fair."

As soon as we left Regent Valley you could see rangers and even the apprentices change. One of the first things you learn as a apprentice was to have a serious and distant attitude towards outsiders. That was the best way to keep the people watch us with respect.

Renya seemed pleased with the change, no longer she had to hear our 'irritating' (as she called it) laughs and finally all the apprentices walked up straight.

After about half an hour of walking through the Lakeside country we walked past the gigantic city gates of Ascalon city. If tilted my head I was able to look inside the city but the only thing I saw where huge masses of people running around like chickens without heads.

We didn't enter the city though, we turned left just before the city gates and shortly after that we arrived in a small camp. Renya marched proudly towards a large, and kind of ugly man in the center of the camp "Sir Tyrus!" The messenger brought her hand to her head as a salute "I bring four rangers from Regent Valley!" The messenger announced while she handed the man four scrolls with the ranger's seal, a green wing, on it. "And they agreed to send us their best apprentices."

The man nodded while he took the scrolls from her "Good. You may return to your post, Renya." He looked back at us and I could swear I saw disappointment in his eyes, but surely it wasn't in his voice "Apprentices, step forward." The six almost-rangers did what he had asked. "Report to Armin Saberlin inside the city. You'll find him at the Academy gates. If you don't know where this is Artemis will guide you, she's near the edge of camp." They nodded in unison and were off, like they were trained to do; either don't do what you're asked or do so without questions, arguments or complaints.

"Good" Tyrus repeated when we saw that the Apprentices had found Artemis "Then you four of you can find yourself a place in camp, report to me when I call you." We nodded and turned around, just when we were about to split up the Sir suddenly yelled "Fane Rodnas!" Tyrus's voice was loud enough to be heard in the whole camp, so ignoring didn't seem an option.

Fane sighed "That's my name" He said before turning on his heels and walking back to Tyrus.

I shook my head "Why does every warrior I've met so far feels the need to yell all day long?"

"I don't know..." Sylvia answered "But one thing is for sure; I'll never set one foot in the warrior camp without earplugs."

"Agreed"

I walked further though the camp on my own, the three of us had agreed to split up so we could make our own opinions without influencing the other's. We all knew that that was one of the reasons we were sent, to gather information.

Likely the rangers were the last ones to arrive. I already saw members off all other professions in the camp. Not that I recognized the people I saw nor could I guess their profession, but from the conversation topics I could pretty much guess where they came from. _"Oooh, did you see __Sebedoh__'s outfit?"_

"_It's lovely, isn't it?"_

"_Yes, I especially like her shoes. Do you know where she got them?" _Those two women were defiantly mesmers, no doubt. No one really bothered to start a conversation with me. I don't blame them, they've probably never seen a bearer of the green wing before in their life.

When I had explored the whole camp I sat down a few feet away from the crowd around the big fire. The sun was already setting and soon night would fall. By this time Tyrus had already called 'William of the Fens!' and 'Sylvia Grey-foot!' it was only a matter of time before he would call me I figured.

"OhMiGosh! That is the cutest thing I've ever seen!" A scantily-clad (probably an elementalist) woman exclaimed. I raised my eyebrows at her "Your owl!" She explained while jumping in the air "I've never seen anything like it! Please can I hold it? Please?"

Another elementalist appeared from behind her "Shioni, would you just calm down already. I have to chase you all around camp..."

"Ohhh... but just look at that Shiani! Isn't that the cutest thing you've ever seen?"

"ROWENNA TRUESHOT!" When Sir Tyrus finally called my name I noticed that the whole camp suddenly felt silent, and when I stood up all eyes turned to me. Shioni covered her mouth with her hands and looked at me with big eyes.

Ignoring everyone's reactions (I mean really what was all that about?) Arrow and I walked back to Tyrus. "Trueshot..." The Sir mumbled as we arrived "Maybe it's just a weird coincident..."

"Something wrong, Sir?"

"No..no... It's nothing." He raised his head from the document and looked at me "Is your father by any chance Ivor Trueshot?"

I shrugged "Yes, he is."

Tyrus snorted and shook his head in disbelieve "Unbelievable, they send us the daughter of a hero..." He whispered before standing up "I wasn't expecting that a Trueshot would leave Regent Valley ever again."

I had no idea where he was talking about, with a grin on my face I quickly decided to change subject "You asked for me..?"

"Oh, right your documents." The man looked back to the scroll "Master Ranger Nente speaks highly of you; youngest apprentice in a long time, talented, youngest _ranger_ ever..."

"The Master is very generous."

"Maybe...maybe..." He trailed off while he read the rest of the letter, when he came to the end of it the frown on his face deepened but he quickly shook it off "...I want to test your skill, meet me here tomorrow when the sun is up."

He left the report for me to read and walked back to his tent. When I unrolled the scroll my eyes were immediately drawn to the nearly illegible scrawl that I easily identified as Ivor's.

_Tyrus._ _If you let her die, I will kill you. T__ry to run and I'll find you. No matter where you go. I'll hunt you down like the cowardious bastard you are and drive an arrow through your throat without a __**second**__**THOUGHT! **_

With a small chuckle, I shook my head "Yep, that sounds like Ivor..."


End file.
